VIDEO NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, 31 October 2011

Dame Pauline Green, Chair of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), talks about her vision for the future activities of ICA working with the wider co-operative sector. She speaks of ICA moving to a new period of it's development and responding to the members with the development of much stronger member propositions.

2012 International Year of Cooperatives - Video Clip

The International Year of Cooperatives is intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. The Year will also highlight the strengths of the cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.

The Global Launch of the International Year of Cooperatives was mandated by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 65/184.

Saturday, 29 October 2011

The annual observance of Disarmament Week, which begins on the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, was called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly 1978 special session on disarmament - (resolution S-10/2) . States were invited to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament.

In 1995, the General Assembly invited governments, as well as NGOs, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B, 12 December 1995). It invited the Secretary-General to continue using United Nations information entities as widely as possible, to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament problems, and the aims of the Week.

Among all the types of humanity’s heritage, the audiovisual heritage is one of those that provide the most direct and intuitive access to the wealth of world cultures and the infinite diversity of human civilization.

Audiovisual records offer unique means of learning, sharing and becoming informed through sound and image. They are, in form and content, living testimonies to the history of technology, performance and culture. By presenting images and sounds from foreign cultures, historic moments shaping our collective memory, they contribute to cementing the foundations of intercultural dialogue and enriching humanity’s awareness.

All these records, these films and soundtracks, are also extremely vulnerable. Part of the twentieth century audiovisual archive collection has already disappeared, victim of technological obsolescence, institutional neglect and losses due to deterioration, deliberate destruction or ignorance. The rapid development of the digital world has only compounded the challenges.

Protection of these records is a cultural and educational imperative and must never be taken for granted. Quite the opposite: it is an ongoing task. It is one of the central aspects of UNESCO’s flagship Memory of the World programme, which ensures the protection of humanity’s documentary heritage in all its forms. Many audiovisual records have already been included in the Memory of the World Register: “The Story of the Kelly Gang”, the first feature-length fiction film, the complete original film production of the Lumière brothers, and the “Liberation

Struggle Living Archive Collection”, a unique documentary on the apartheid system in South Africa. They are each an irreplaceable source of learning and discovery. Their loss would impoverish our world heritage and be tantamount to collective amnesia.

To protect the audiovisual heritage, appropriate safeguard measures should be instituted and training and support for archive professionals, libraries and specialized institutions provided. I invite today all UNESCO’s partners and collaborators to redouble efforts to ensure the protection of this unique documentary heritage and help it to fulfil all its educational and cultural promises.

Sound recordings and moving images are extremely vulnerable as they can be quickly and deliberately destroyed. Essentially emblematic of the 20th century, audiovisual heritage can be irretrievably lost as a result of neglect, natural decay and technological obsolescence. Public consciousness of the importance of preservation of these recordings must be engaged and the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is intended to be the platform for building global awareness.

UNESCO has adopted 27 October as the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage to better focus global attention on the issues at stake, in cooperation with the Co-ordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) and other partners. A growing number of archives around the world will be commemorating this Day with activities that highlight the fragility and vulnerability of this heritage, while celebrating the work of the heritage institutions that have helped to protect it.

Film, television and radio are our common heritage. They help to maintain the cultural identity of a people but countless documentary treasures have disappeared since the invention of image and sound technologies that permit the peoples of the world to better share their experiences, creativity and knowledge.
All of the world's audiovisual heritage is endangered. No where can it be said to be preserved but through initiatives such as the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage and the Memory of the World Programme, the precious work of preservation professionals is given impetus to manage a range of technical, political, social, financial and other factors that threaten the safeguard of heritage.

Recommended Resource Sites for AV Archiving

by Mick Newnham (National Film and Sound Archive, Australia)
Note: It is advised to periodically do a new search as new sites may become available, or links to existing sites may change.

The theme for this year's celebration of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2011 is "Audivisual Heritage: See, Hear, and Learn." - Now!" seems especially applicable to the audiovisual archives of the United Nations. The collection at Headquarters has its share of historical audiovisual materials – photos, films, and video and audio recordings – which are unique in the world and require careful attention and preservation.

The UN's audiovisual archive dates back as early as the 1920s and constitutes the memory of the Organization, from the League of Nations to the construction of UN Headquarters in New York, as well as the footage and programmes which continue to be produced daily. Archiving such a rich and complex collection is a major challenge.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) continuing efforts to preserve the unique audiovisual heritage of the United Nations – and, as importantly, to keep this heritage accessible to the world – is critical in making sure the Organization's story may be told in images and sounds to future generations.

In the labyrinth of the Secretariat’s basements, a huge task is being performed by a small team of archivists: to inventory and classify all UN audio, film and video materials before the Capital Master Plan reaches the lower levels of the building." The history is here and needs to be preserved and be accessible" said Antonio Carlos Silva from the Multimedia Ressources Unit. Part of the work is also to select the most valuable materials to be treated in priority, taking into account the physical conditions of the items and their value to the Organization, and to recommend methods and standards of preservation and digitization of the most at-risk audiovisual materials.

Vinegar syndrome, the acidification of the plastic base of film, is one of the major concerns. With an estimated 7% of the film collection already suffering from acidification, finding digitization and storage solutions has become especially urgent.

The audiovisual archives held by the UN Department of Public Information (http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/archives.html ) are a unique collection that tells the stories not only of international diplomacy that shaped our history but also of the people and the times they lived in. The collection comprises 37,500 hours of film and video, 800,000 photographs, and about 55,000.00 hours of audio recordings.

To address the challenges of preserving these archives, DPI, along with other departments and stakeholders, are developing a sound digitization programme. In the meantime, partnerships have been forged with the national archives from various member states such as Brazil, France, Greece, and the Republic of Korea, who selected parts of the collection and will digitize them themselves. These institutions will also provide the UN with a high resolution preservation copy of the selected material and therefore of UN historical moments affecting our humanity.

The General Assembly in 1972 instituted World Development Information Day to draw the attention of world public opinion to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them (resolution 3038 (XXVII)). The Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide in principle with United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.

The Assembly felt that improving the dissemination of information and the mobilization of public opinion, particularly among young people, would lead to greater awareness of the problems of development, thus, promoting efforts in the sphere of international cooperation for development.

In recent years many events have interpreted the title of the day slightly differently. These have concentrated on the role that modern information-technologies, such as the Internet and mobile telephones can play in alerting people and finding solutions to problems of trade and development.

March 1977 Mar del Plata UN Water Conference
The Action Plan from the United Nations Water Conference recognised water as a right for the first time declaring that “All peoples, whatever their stage of development and social and economic conditions, have the right to have access to drinking water in quantities and of a quality equal to their basic needs”.

November 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention explicitly mentions water, environmental sanitation and hygiene. Article 24(2) states:
“States Parties shall pursue full implementation of this right and, in particular, shall take appropriate measures: …
c) to combat disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary health care, through, inter alia, the application of readily available technology and through the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinking water, taking into consideration the dangers and risks of environmental pollution; …
(e) To ensure that all segments of society, in particular parents and children, are informed, have access to education and are supported in the use of basic knowledge of child health and nutrition, the advantages of breastfeeding, hygiene and environmental sanitation and the prevention of accidents”
www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm

December 1979 - Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
The Convention sets out an agenda to end discrimination against women, and explicitly references both water and sanitation within its text.Article 14(2)(h) of CEDAW provides: “States parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, that they participate in and benefit from rural development and, in particular, shall ensure to such women the right: … (h) To enjoy adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply, transport and communication”.
www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/

Chapter 18 of Agenda 21 endorsed the Resolution of the Mar del Plata Water Conference that all peoples have the right to have access to drinking water, and called this “the commonly agreed premise.”
www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/

The Programme of Action of the UN International Conference on Population and Development affirms that all individuals: “Have the right to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, including adequate food, clothing, housing, water and sanitation.”
www.un.org/popin/icpd2.htm

Article 12 of the Resolution affirms that “in the full realization of the right to development, inter alia: (a) The rights to food and clean water are fundamental human rights and their promotion constitutes a moral imperative both for national Governments and for the international community”.
www.un.org/depts/dhl/resguide/r54.htm

The Political Declaration of the Summit states “We welcome the Johannesburg Summit focus on the indivisibility of human dignity and are resolved through decisions on targets, timetables and partnerships to speedily increase access to basic requirements such as clean water, sanitation, energy, health care, food security and the protection of biodiversity”.
www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/documents/summit_docs/1009wssd_pol_declaration.htm

General Comment 15 interprets the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) confirming the right to water in international law. This Comment provides guidelines for the interpretation of the right to water, framing it within two articles, Article 11, the right to an adequate standard of living, and Article 12, the right to the highest attainable standard of health. The Comment clearly outlines States parties obligations to the right and defines what actions would constitute as a violation.Article I.1 states that “The human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization
of other human rights”.
www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/a5458d1d1bbd713fc1256cc400389e94/$FILE/G0340229.pdf

July 2005 - Draft Guidelines for the Realization of the Right to Drinking Water and Sanitation. E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/25
These draft guidelines, contained in the report of the Special Rapporteur to the UN Economic and Social Council, El Hadji Guissé, and adopted in Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, are intended to assist government policymakers, international agencies and members of civil society working in the water and sanitation sector to implement the right to drinking water and sanitation. These Guidelines do not legally define the right to water and sanitation, but rather provide guidance for its implementation.
www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/water/docs/SUb_Com_Guisse_guidelines.pdf

The Human Rights Council “Request the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, taking into account the views of States and other stakeholders, to conduct, within existing resources, a detailed study on the scope and content of the relevant human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international human rights instruments, which includes relevant conclusions and recommendations thereon, to be submitted prior to the sixth session of the Council”.
www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/water/docs/HRC_decision2-104.pdf

Article 28, defines the right of persons with disabilities to an adequate standard of living and states “2. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to social protection and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination on the basis of disability, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right, including measures: (a) To ensure equal access by persons with disabilities to clean water services, and to ensure access to appropriate and affordable services, devices and other assistance for disability-related needs”.
www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml

August 2007 - Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the scope and content of the relevant human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international human rights instruments

Following decision 2/104 of the Human Rights Council, the Report from the High Commissioner for Human Rights states that “It is now the time to consider access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a human right, defined as the right to equal and nondiscriminatory access to a sufficient amount of safe drinking water for personal and domestic uses… to sustain life and health”.

Through this resolution, the Human Rights Council decides “To appoint, for a period of three years, an independent expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation”.
ap.ohchr.org/documents/E/HRC/resolutions/A_HRC_RES_7_22.pdf

In this resolution, the Human Rights Council welcomes the consultation with the independent expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, acknowledges the independent expert’s first annual report and, for the first time, recognizes that States have an obligation to address and eliminate discrimination with regard to access to sanitation, and urges them to address effectively inequalities in this area.
www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/12session/resdec.htm

For the first time, this UN Resolution formally recognises for the right to water and sanitation and acknowledges that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realisation of all human rights. The Resolution calls upon States and international organisations to provide financial resources, help capacity-building and technology transfer to help countries, in particular developing countries, to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.
www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/64/292

Following the UN General Assembly resolution, this resolution of the UN Human Rights Council affirms that the rights to water and sanitation are part of existing international law and confirms that these rights are legally binding upon States. It also calls upon States to develop appropriate tools and mechanisms to achieve progressively the full realization of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, including in currently unserved and underserved areas.
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G10/166/33/PDF/G1016633.pdf?OpenElement

In this resolution, the Human Rights Council decides “to extend the mandate of the current mandate holder as a special rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation for a period of three years” and “Encourages the Special Rapporteur, in fulfilling his or her mandate… to promote the full realization of the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation by, inter alia, continuing to give particular emphasis to practical solutions with regard to its implementation, in particular in the context of country missions, and following the criteria of availability, quality, physical accessibility, affordability and acceptability”.
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/124/85/PDF/G1112485.pdf?OpenElement

• United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), Centre on Housing rights and Evictions (COHRE), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Manual on the Right to Water and Sanitation. 2007.
www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=2536

Sunday, 23 October 2011

Secretary-General's Message

Days from now, the human family will welcome its seven billionth member.
Some say our planet is too crowded. I say we are seven billion strong.
The world has made remarkable progress since the United Nations was born 66 years ago today.
We are living longer. More of our children survive. More and more of us live at peace, under democratic rule of law.
As we have seen in this dramatic year, people everywhere are standing up for their rights and human freedoms.
And yet … all this progress is under threat. From economic crisis. Rising joblessness and inequality. Climate change.
Around the world, too many people live in fear. Too many people believe their governments and the global economy can no longer deliver for them.
In these turbulent times, there is only one answer: unity of purpose.
Global problems demand global solutions.
They compel all nations to unite in action on an agenda for the world’s people.
That is the very mission of the United Nations:
To build a better world.
To leave no one behind.
To stand for the poorest and most vulnerable in the name of global peace and social justice.
On this special day, let us recognize:
Never has the United Nations been so needed.
In our increasingly interconnected world, we all have something to give and something to gain by working together.
Let us unite, seven billion strong, in the name of the global common good.

Days from now, the human family will welcome its seven billionth member. Some say our planet is too crowded. I say we are seven billion strong.
We will only be able to exploit that strength for the benefit of all if our societies are built on tolerance, empathy and understanding. I therefore welcome the theme of this UN Day concert, sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations, which celebrates cultural diversity.
I well remember my visit to Mongolia in 2009. I stayed overnight in a ger, the one-room tent that traditional herders share with their family. I was asked to name a newborn takhi, an endangered species of wild horse in Mongolia. I called it Peace, “Enkhtaivan”, in Mongolian. I also enjoyed an evening of traditional entertainment such as we will experience tonight.
Our increasingly interconnected world affords endless opportunities for learning about and interacting with other cultures and traditions. Yet, those same networks also offer a too-convenient avenue for mobilizing the myopic hatred that can spawn a range of ills from discrimination to genocide. Our challenge is to build a better world -- more just, more tolerant, more inclusive. We all have something to give and something to gain by appreciating each other’s diversity and working together in common cause.
In these turbulent times, we must all seek unity of purpose. That is the very mission of the United Nations: to leave no one behind; to stand for the poorest and most vulnerable; and to stand against intolerance in the name of global peace and social justice. On this special day, let us unite, seven billion strong, in the name of the global common good.

Ban Ki-moon

UN Day Concert

Traditionally, UN Day is marked by an international concert in the General Assembly Hall.
The 2011 UN Day Concert will take place on Thursday, 27 October 2011, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York.
In observance of the 66th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Organization, the concert this year is sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations, and is being dedicated to Celebrating Cultural Diversity.

Programme

Featuring the Mongolian National Horse Fiddle Ensemble and the National Academic Ensemble of Folk Song and Dance, the 90-minute concert will feature a selection of Mongolian traditional music, opera, contortion and dance, as well as contemporary pieces and world classics.
The concert will be available live and delayed on UN Webcast and Time Warner Cable Channel 150 in the New York City area.

The Horse-Head Fiddle

The morin khuur is a traditional Mongolian bowed stringed instrument. It is one of the most important musical instruments of the Mongol people, and is considered a symbol of the Mongolian nation. The morin khuur is one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity identified by UNESCO. It produces a sound which is poetically described as expansive and unrestrained, like a wild horse neighing, or like a breeze in the grasslands.

Long-Song

This genre is called "Long song" (Urtyn duu) because each syllable of text is extended for a long duration. A four-minute song may only consist of ten words. Lyrical themes vary depending on context; they can be philosophical, religious, romance, or celebratory, and often use horses as a symbol or theme repeated throughout the song.

Throat Singing

Perhaps the best-known musical form of the Mongols is the throat
singing tradition known as hoomii. Sung differently than traditional
vocals, this unique type of singing involves the production of two
distinctively audible pitches at the same time, including a low pedal
note, or drone, derived from the fundamental frequency of the vocal
cord vibrations, and higher melodic notes that result when the
singer's mouth acts as a filter, selecting one note at a time from
among the drone's natural overtone series pitches.Download Programme

Overview

Although extreme poverty has been significantly reduced since 1990, major gains in the attainment of eradicating extreme poverty are likely to have stalled due to the economic downturn. Nevertheless, according to the World Bank Global Monitoring Report 2010, the overall poverty rate is still expected to fall to 15 percent by 2015, indicating that the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target can be met.

Trends vary among the regions, with sub-Saharan Africa lagging far behind the others. For instance, it is estimated that the poverty rate there will reach 38 percent by 2015. Poverty affects women and girls differently than men and boys: although both women and men may be poor, women and girls often are less able to pull themselves out of poverty than men and boys due to discrimination, lower status, and conditions and opportunities that are more limited.

Target

Overview

Basic education has a direct and proven impact on poverty reduction and sustainable development. Globally, primary school enrolment and completion rates are showing significant improvement:

Primary school enrolment has increased by 25 million children between 1999 and 2005

More girls are attending school than ever before

Gender parity in primary schools has been achieved in two thirds of all countries

Despite this progress, important challenges remain. While enrolment in primary education has continued to rise, reaching 89 percent in the developing world, up from 83 percent in 2000, global numbers of out-of-school children are dropping too slowly and too unevenly for the target to be reached by 2015. There are also huge disparities between regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, even if the enrolment increased by 18 percentage points―from 58 percent to 76 percent―between 1999 and 2008, it is estimated that 45 percent of children remained out-of-school.

Persistent gaps and challenges that need to be addressed include girls' exclusion, reaching the most marginalized, and ensuring quality education in fragile states, which account for almost half of all out-of-school children. The gender gap in the out-of-school population has also narrowed: the share of girls in this group decreased from 57 percent to 53 percent globally between 1999 and 2008. Again, progress is uneven: 28 countries still have a gender parity index of less than 0.97. Of these countries, 18 are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Overview

MDG 3, the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment, is the only Millennium Development Goal that is both a goal in itself and is recognized as essential to the achievement of all other Millennium Development Goals. Evidence compiled by the World Bank from 73 countries shows that the incidence of poverty tends to be lower and that economic growth tends to be higher in countries with greater equality between women and men.

Nonetheless, global progress on achieving MDG 3 is lagging. The target of eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 has already been missed, although progress has been made. In the developing regions as a whole, 96 girls were enrolled in primary school for every 100 boys in 2008, compared to 91 in 1999. Eliminating gender disparity at all education levels by 2015 may still be possible, but the other indicators for MDG 3 show progress to be slow. For example, in parliamentary representation, while global proportion of seats held by women continues to rise slowly, averaging 19 percent as of January 2010, a third of developing countries still have less than 10 percent or no female representation in parliament at all.

Overview

Many childhood illnesses can be prevented through proper nutrition, healthcare, and basic medical treatment. Yet every year, approximately 8.8 million children under the age of five die from preventable illnesses.

In many countries, the major causes of ill health and death among children continue to be malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and a lack of basic infrastructure and access to good quality primary health care. Four diseases―pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, and AIDS―accounted for 43 percent of all deaths in children under five worldwide in 2008. Most of these lives could have been saved through low-cost prevention and treatment measures. Discrimination against women and girls also exists within families, often resulting in boys being given preference for food and access to healthcare, while girls may be denied treatment and care.

While some regions are on track to achieve MDG 4 by 2015, many countries remain behind, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where some countries have experienced increases in child mortality due to HIV/AIDS.MDG 4 - Reduce Child Mortality - CIDA

Overview

MDG 5, to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters by 2015, has experienced the least progress. While a number of middle-income countries have made rapid progress in reducing maternal deaths, maternal mortality and morbidity still remains unacceptably high in the developing world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.

Every year, more than 500,000 women die because of complications during pregnancy, childbirth, or in the six weeks after delivery. Most of these deaths (99 percent) occur in developing countries and most often could have been prevented.

Disparity and inequity in access to health services underlies this global trend. Half of all maternal deaths (265,000) occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and another third (187,000), in Southern Asia. Together, these two regions account for 85 percent of all maternal deaths. Large disparities also exist between women living in rural and urban areas, although the gap did narrow between 1990 and 2008.

The leading causes of maternal mortality in developing regions are haemorrhage and hypertension, which together account for half of all deaths in expectant or new mothers. The proportion of women in developing countries who received skilled assistance during delivery rose from 53 percent in 1990 to 63 percent in 2008. Progress was made in all regions but was especially dramatic in Northern Africa and South-Eastern Asia, with increases of 74 percent and 63 percent, respectively.

Overview

Health throughout the world has improved significantly over the past few decades, but this benefit has not been widely shared: the greatest burden of disease continues to be borne by the poor. Globally, the number of people newly infected with HIV peaked in 1996 and has since declined to 2.7 million in 2008. However, the number of people living with HIV worldwide continues to grow, largely because people infected with the virus are surviving longer. Due to inequality, violence, and discrimination, women account for half the people living with HIV worldwide and nearly 60 percent of those infected in sub-Saharan Africa.

Half the world's population is at risk of malaria, and an estimated 243 million cases led to nearly 863,000 deaths in 2008. Of these, 767,000 (89 percent) occurred in Africa. Global production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets has increased fivefold since 2004―rising from 30 million to 150 million in 2009. Nearly 200 million nets were delivered to African countries by manufacturers during 2007-2009 and are available for use; nearly 350 million are needed to achieve complete coverage there. Funds disbursed to malaria-endemic countries rose from less than $0.1 billion in 2003 to $1.5 billion in 2009.

The universal burden of tuberculosis (TB) is falling slowly. Incidence fell to 139 cases per 100,000 individuals in 2008, after peaking in 2004 at 143 cases per 100,000. There were an estimated 9.4 million new cases of TB in 2008, up from 9.3 million cases in 2007 and 8.3 million in 2000. Of the total number of cases, an estimated 15 percent are among those who are HIV-positive.MDG 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases - CIDA

Overview

The impact of environmental degradation and climate change threatens the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals. The poor in developing countries are especially vulnerable and the least able to adapt to the effects of environmental degradation. There have been only modest improvements and many setbacks in meeting the targets of this goal. Progress on this MDG is extremely varied in terms of both geographic region, as well as individual targets. Global deforestation-mainly the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land―is slowing but continues at a high rate in many countries.

While the target to halve the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water may be met by 2015, more than 2.5 billion individuals still lack sustainable access to basic sanitation. The world is ahead of schedule in meeting the 2015 drinking water target, yet 884 million individuals worldwide still rely on unimproved water sources. Of these, 84 percent (746 million) live in rural areas. In 2008, an estimated 2.6 billion individuals around the world lacked access to an improved sanitation facility. If the trend continues, that number will grow to 2.7 billion by 2015.

Deforestation continues relatively unabated, and biodiversity continues to decline. Emissions contributing to climate change continue to increase, and there is increased migration to urban areas, threatening the modest progress made in reducing the number of urban slums. Nevertheless, over the past 10 years the share of the urban population living in slums in the developing world has declined significantly: from 39 percent in 2000 to 33 percent in 2010.

The United Nations Millennium Declaration represents a global agreement: developing countries will do more to ensure their own development, and developed countries will support them through aid, debt relief, and better opportunities for trade. Virtually nothing in the sphere of international development happens without effective partnerships. The challenge of reducing poverty around the world is simply too big for any single government or organization to tackle alone.

With global attention focused on the upcoming Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), it is critical to draw attention to the importance of poverty eradication for building sustainable futures for all. People living in poverty face increasingly difficult challenges as climate change, environmental degradation and rising food prices threaten their livelihoods and survival. The path to sustainable development must ensure that people living in poverty are included in decision-making processes, and that concrete action is taken to respond to their needs and demands.

The 2011 IDEP presents an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of people living in poverty and to have their voices heard. It is an occasion to recognize that poor people are at the forefront of the fight against poverty and are critical partners for achieving sustainable development. The objective of the IDEP 2011 is to illustrate the important and tangible ways in which people living in poverty can simultaneously protect the sustainability of their environment and break the cycle of poverty, and how these efforts can be supported and scaled up.

In addition to the Commemoration in New York, celebrations of the Day are being organized worldwide. Through resolution A/RES/47/196 adopted on 22 December 1992, the General Assembly invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2011

For decades the United Nations has worked to free people from poverty.

We have made great progress — but today those gains are in doubt.

Too many people are living in fear:

Fear of losing their jobs;

Fear of not being able to feed their families;

Fear of being trapped forever in poverty, deprived of the human right to live with health and dignity and hope for the future.

We can meet the challenges we face — the economic crisis, climate change, rising costs of food and energy, the effects of natural disasters.

We can overcome them by putting people at the centre of our work.

Too often in the debates that will shape our future, I see three groups missing. The poor … the young … and the planet.

As we work to avoid a global financial meltdown, we must also work to avoid a global development meltdown.

In the name of fiscal austerity, we cannot cut back on common-sense investments in people.

Malaria can be stopped. AIDS can be reversed. Millions of mothers can be saved from dying in child birth. Green investments can generate jobs and growth.

This is not theory. It is happening.
Now is not the time to slide backwards.
Now is the time to push harder to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
Now is the time to prepare to make the most of next year’s crucial Rio + 20 conference on sustainable development.
Together, let us listen to people – and stand up for their hopes and aspirations.

High and volatile food prices make poor farmers, consumers and countries more vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity. Kostas Stamoulis, Director, Agricultural Development Economics Division, FAO, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, talks about the impact of price swings and what can be done.

IN WORLD FOOD DAY MESSAGE, SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON RICH, POOR COUNTRIES ALIKE TO INVEST ENERGY, RESOURCES NECESSARY TO WIN BATTLE AGAINST HUNGER

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for World Food Day, commemorated on 16 October:

Today, in the Horn of Africa, more than 13 million people are affected by one of the region’s worst droughts in 60 years. Famine grips swathes of southern Somalia. Yet, drought does not need to become famine — nor should it ever be allowed to, either through system failure or through the kind of deliberate deprivation we are seeing in areas controlled by Al-Shabaab.

The hunger in the Horn of Africa is but a fraction of a needless global menace. There is more than enough food on the planet to feed everyone, yet today nearly 1 billion people will go hungry. I urge world leaders in rich and poor countries alike to invest the energy and resources necessary to win the battle against hunger — a key pillar of our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Lasting solutions must cover the full spectrum of food security – from improving the resilience of smallholder farmers to deploying safety net programmes that help protect the most vulnerable.

This year’s World Food Day highlights the issue of price volatility. For the world’s poorest people, many of whom spend up to 80 per cent of their income on food, this can be devastating. In 2007-2008, food price inflation pushed some 80 million people into hunger. Recent food price hikes have propelled another 70 million people into extreme poverty.

We need to break the links between poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition. Families impoverished by price volatility risk seeing their babies’ minds and bodies permanently damaged by malnutrition; their children being taken out of school and put to work, and their income-producing livestock slaughtered for food. The answer is to put in place policies, like those advocated by the Scale Up Nutrition movement, to ensure all people have access to sufficient nutrition.

This month the world’s population will top 7 billion people. The world has the knowledge and the resources to end hunger; we have the tools to ensure that the poorest are buffered from the impact of rising prices. Let us use them — now — to conquer hunger.

Saturday, 15 October 2011

World Hunger Crisis:
Here at Taylor's, we believe strongly in service: not only to our students and our country, but to the world as a whole. Hunger and malnutrition are at the forefront of urgent problems in the world today, especially with the current Somalian crisis. Over a billion people on our earth go hungry every day, and malnutrition plays a role in more than half of all childhood deaths. We believe that this is a severe and urgent problem. More importantly, we believe that all of us are part of the solution.

Thus, Taylor's Education Group (TEG) has pledged to pack and donate 1,000,000 meals through TEG World Food Day, when we will hold a series of Meal Packaging Events at Taylor's University and Taylor's College campuses as well as Sri Garden Schools on 16 October 2011. Each pack consists of 6 meals. Partnered with NGOs such as Stop Hunger Now and Food for the Hungry International, we aim to pack 166,667 packs (or 1,000,000 meals) to be distributed to crisis-burdened areas or school feeding programmes.

About Meal Packaging Events:

KP SL Bertarikh 6hb Sept 2011
No Lesen: A012732

Meal Packaging Events are fun-filled charity events that anyone can engage in, making them fantastic team building or family day events. Food packing lines will be formed by volunteers, with each section specializing in certain packaging activities. Every volunteer is given a specific task to do, which could involve funneling, measuring, sealing, or boxing. Each finished package contains 6 highly nutritious meals containing rice, soy protein, dried vegetables, flavoring and 21 essential vitamins and minerals.

Our target for this event is to actively address the problem of world hunger by having at least 1,000 volunteers pack 1 million meals within 1 day on 16 October 2011. We are also striving to bring the issue of world hunger to the forefront through the media and participants of the event. In addition, we would like to be part of generating continuous successful Meal Packaging events. In the past, the 45 million meals that have been packaged have been received in 76 countries.

About Our Partner – Stop Hunger Now (SHN):
Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief agency that has coordinated the distribution of food to countries all over the world, with over 45 million meals packaged and transported to crisis-burdened areas or school feeding programmes in 76 countries. They are dedicated to providing food and life-saving aid to the most vulnerable, and to creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources. For more information, visit their website www.stophungernow.org.

Purchasing RM18 World Food Day T-shirts. All proceeds will go directly towards this worthy cause.

Volunteering on World Food Day itself. This is the most hands-on way to get involved – become one of the 1,000 volunteers that will create a million meals on 16 October 2011 across Taylor's campuses! Make a real difference and join us for a meal packaging event.

Check
out the free UN Calendar of Observances iPhone app.!It features
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information. The app also illustrates how the UN makes a difference in
tackling global challenges.

It functions in Chinese, Spanish and English. Arabic, French and Russian versions will be available in early 2014.

UN Audio Library

UNIS Handbook for Journalists and 2011 Calendar

For all UNIS press releases and information on all UNIS eventsand press briefings, go to www.unis.unvienna.org

“Chemistry – Our life, our future”, IYC 2011

United Nations activities and programmes.

United Nations observances contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action on important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues. They provide a useful means for the promotion of international and national action and stimulate interest in United Nations activities and programmes. For international years and decades the UN Secretary General takes action to establish the preparatory process, evaluation and follow-up procedures.

In 1950, the General Assembly approved the first international day — Human Rights Day — to be observed on 10 December. Resolution 423 (V) invited all states and international organizations to observe this day to celebrate the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948, and to exert increasing efforts in this field.

In 1978, the General Assembly by its resolution S-10/2 proclaimed the first international week — the week starting 24 October (the day of the founding of the UN) — as a week devoted to fostering the objectives of disarmament (Disarmament Week).

The first international year was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1959. It was the World Refugee Year [Resolution 1285 (XIII)].

The first UN decade was the United Nations Development Decade designated by the General Assembly in 1961 [Resolution 1710 (XVI)].

1971–1980 : Second United Nations Development Decade - A/RES/2626 (XXV)

1970s : Disarmament Decade - A/RES/2602 E (XXIV)

1960–1970 : United Nations Development Decade - A/RES/1710 (XVI)

31 January

World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in January in over 100 countries.

02 February

The international theme 2011 is "wetlands and forests - forests for water and wetlands"

04 February

WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention.

06 February

WHO is committed to the elimination of female genital mutilation within a generation and is focusing on advocacy, research and guidance for health professionals and health systems.

20 February

Observance of World Day of Social Justice should support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.

21 February

2011 International Mother Language Day: The information and communication technologies for the safeguarding and promotion of languages and linguistic diversity

08 March

International Women Day 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women

21 March

Elimination of Racial Discrimination

21 March in Australia

Hamony Day - Everyone Belongs

22 March

Theme 2011 - Water for Cities : Responding to the Urban Challenge

24 March

04 April

Mine Awareness and assistance in Mine Action

07 April

Theme 2011 : Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread

20 April

22 April

2011 theme : Pledge your Act today!

23 April

25 April

26 April

03 May

09 May

22 May

29 May

LAW.ORDER.PEACE.

31 May

"The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" as the theme 2011

05 June

08 June

14 June

" More Blood, More Life "

17 June

20 JUNE

25 June

26 June

11 July

28 July

The first official WHO World Hepatitis Day is marked to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes.

1 to 7 August

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need.

19 August

To pay respect to those who have died or been injured in the course of their humanitarian work.

24 August

"Water for Life "

30 August

08 September

10 September

World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September promotes worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides.

26 September

28 September

World Rabies Day highlights the impact of human and animal rabies and promotes how to prevent and stop the disease by combating it in animals.

29 September

Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s largest killers, claiming 17.1 million lives a year.

26 to 30 September

04 October

05 October

10 October

13 October

"Vision 2020: The Right to Sight",

16 October

20 October

27 October

06 November

10 November

11 November

14 November

WHO estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention.

16 November

World COPD Day is a global effort to expand understanding of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and advocate for better care for patients.

20 November

Road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more.

21 November

25 November

Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions.

01 December

World AIDS Day on 1 December draws together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.

United Nations International Days

27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust A/RES/60/7

February

4 February World Cancer Day [WHO] 20 February World Day of Social Justice 21 February International Mother Language Day [UNESCO]

March

8 March International Women's Day21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 21 March World Poetry Day [UNESCO] 21 March International Day of Nowruz23 March World Meteorological Day [WMO] 24 March World Tuberculosis Day [WHO] 24 March International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims 25 March International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade25 March International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members —

April

2 April World Autism Awareness Day 4 April International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 7 April Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide7 April World Health Day [WHO] 12 April International Day of Human Space Flight 22 April International Mother Earth Day 23 April World Book and Copyright Day [UNESCO]25 April World Malaria Day [WHO] 26 April World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO] 28 April World Day for Safety and Health at Work [ILO] 29 April Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

May

Day of Vesak 3 May World Press Freedom Day 8–9 May Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War 14–15 May World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP] 15 May International Day of Families 17 May World Telecommunication and Information Society Day [ITU] 21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 22 May International Day for Biological Diversity 29 May International Day of UN Peacekeepers31 May World No-Tobacco Day [WHO]

June

4 June International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression 5 June World Environment Day [UNEP]8 June World Oceans Day 12 June World Day Against Child Labour [ILO] 14 June World Blood Donor Day [WHO] 17 June World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought20 June World Refugee Day 23 June United Nations Public Service Day 23 June International Widow’s Day25 June Day of the Seafarer [IMO] 26 June International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 26 June United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

July

2 July International Day of Cooperatives 11 July World Population Day UNDP decision 89/4618 July Nelson Mandela International Day 28 July World Hepatitis Day —30 July International Day of Friendship

August

9 August International Day of the World's Indigenous People12 August International Youth Day 19 August World Humanitarian Day 23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition [UNESCO]29 August International Day against Nuclear Tests 30 August International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

September

8 September International Literacy Day [UNESCO]10 September World Suicide Prevention Day [WHO] 15 September International Day of Democracy 16 September International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 21 September International Day of Peace 25 September World Heart Day [WHO] 27 September World Tourism Day [UNWTO] 28 September World Rabies Day [WHO] 29 September World Maritime Day [IMO]

October

1 October International Day of Older Persons 2 October International Day of Non-Violence 3 October World Habitat Day 5 October World Teachers’ Day [UNESCO]9 October World Post Day [UPU] 10 October World Mental Health Day [WHO] 13 October International Day for Disaster Reduction 13 October World Sight Day [WHO] 15 October International Day of Rural Women 16 October World Food Day [FAO] 17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 24 October United Nations Day24 October World Development Information Day 27 October World Day for Audiovisual Heritage [UNESCO]

November

6 November International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development [UNESCO] 14 November World Diabetes Day [WHO]16 November International Day for Tolerance 17 November World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day [WHO] 17 November World Philosophy Day [UNESCO] 20 November Universal Children’s Day 20 November Africa Industrialization Day 20 November World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims21 November World Television Day25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

December

1 December World AIDS Day2 December International Day for the Abolition of Slavery3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities5 December International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development 7 December International Civil Aviation Day [ICAO] 9 December International Anti-Corruption Day 10 December Human Rights Day11 December International Mountain Day 18 December International Migrants Day 19 December United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation 20 December International Human Solidarity Day

About the United Nations

This site provides a list of the 192 Member States of the UN, data on each country, how much each country pays to the UN (see Contribution to the UN Budget), and various sources of country information (see Related Links > Information Sources)

World Water Day - 22/03/2010

Water is the source of life and the link that binds all living beings on this planet. It is connected directly to all our United Nations goals: improved maternal and child health and life expectancy, women’s empowerment, food security, sustainable development and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Recognition of these links led to the declaration of 2005-2015 as the International Decade for Action “Water for Life”.

World Tuberculosis Day - 24/03/2010

Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - 25/03/2010

Slavery is abhorrent. It is explicitly prohibited by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United Nations has reaffirmed this principle many times, including in the Durban Declaration adopted at the 2001 World Conference Against Racism.

But slavery and slavery-like practices continue in many parts of the world. Slavery is mutating and re-emerging in modern forms, including debt bondage, the sale of children, and the trafficking of women and girls for sex. Its roots lie in ignorance, intolerance and greed.

We must create a climate in which such abuse and cruelty are inconceivable. One way is by remembering the past and honouring the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. By reminding ourselves of past injustices, we help to ensure that such systematic abuse of human rights can never be repeated.

We see the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade in all the countries it affected. If we are wise, we will use this legacy for good. We will recognize that it is clear evidence of what can happen, if intolerance, racism and greed are allowed to triumph.

We should also take heart from those who, with great courage, succeeded in ending this institutionalized abuse. Their bravery ensured the eventual triumph of the values the United Nations represents: tolerance, justice, and respect for the dignity and worth of all human beings.

Today, we salute all the victims of slavery and we commit ourselves to ensuring that this practice, in all its forms, is eradicated.

World Book and Copyright Day - 23/04/2010

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature for on this date in 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance.

World Press Freedom Day - 3/05/2010

World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December, 1993, as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. This Seminar took place in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media (www.misanet.org/charters/windhoek.html). The Windhoek Declaration called for the establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent, pluralistic and free press and emphasized the importance of a free press to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic development. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3rd, the date on which the Windhoek Declaration was adopted.

International Day of Families - 15/05/2010

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 47/237 of 20 September 1993, proclaimed that 15 May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families. This annual observance reflects the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families as well as to promote appropriate action. The Day can become a powerful mobilizing factor on behalf of families in all countries, which avail themselves of this opportunity and demonstrate support of family issues appropriate to each society. (TEST2)

World No Tobacco Day - 31/05/2010

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL's MESSAGE ON WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY31 May 2009

Every year, some 5.4 million people die from illnesses caused by tobacco consumption – 80 per cent of them in low- and middle-income countries. Up to half of all smokers die from a tobacco-related disease, and science has shown that second-hand smoke harms everyone who is exposed to it. Left unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will rise to more than 8 million by 2030.

Lung cancer, heart disease and other tobacco-related illnesses are part of a broader epidemic of non-communicable diseases, which include strokes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. These diseases have become the world’s leading cause of mortality. Sixty per cent of all deaths globally are caused by them, with women being the hardest hit.

That we continue to allow such diseases to be caused by tobacco consumption is a global tragedy. It also comes at vast expense. Economies are harmed by the costs of treating of tobacco-caused diseases and by decreased productivity due to illness and premature death, while families whose members die or become ill due to tobacco use endure an unnecessary financial burden.

On this World No Tobacco Day, I urge governments everywhere to address this needless threat to public health.

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. It draws global attention to the tobacco epidemic and to the preventable death and disease it causes. It aims to reduce the 3.5 million yearly deaths from tobacco related health problems.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims - 21/11/2010

This Observance occurs on the third Sunday of November, annually

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly invited Member States and the international community to recognize the third Sunday in November of every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims as acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families ( resolution 60/5 ).

World Television Day - 21/11/2010

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day (through resolution 51/205 of 17 December 1996). This was done in recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by alerting world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues.

On 21 and 22 November 1996 the United Nations held the first World Television Forum, where leading media figures met under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the growing significance of television in today's changing world and to consider how they might enhance their mutual cooperation. That is why the General Assembly decided to proclaim 21 November as World Television Day - to commemorate the date on which the first World Television Forum was held.

The celebration highlights how communications have become one of today's central international issues, not only for their relevance to the world economy, but also for their implications for social and cultural development. The celebration also underlines the ever-increasing demands faced by the United Nations to address the major issues facing humankind - and that television - as one of today's most powerful communications media, could play a role in presenting these issues to the world.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - 25/11/2010

By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as theInternational Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, andinvited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organizeactivities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on thatday. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day againstviolence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in theDominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo(1930-1961).

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People - 29/11/2010

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is observed by the United Nations on or around 29 November each year, in accordance with General Assembly mandates contained in resolutions 32/40 B of 2 December 1977 , 34/65 D of 12 December 1979 , and subsequent resolutions adopted under agenda item “Question of Palestine.”

The date of 29 November was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people. On that day in 1947, the General Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II) ,which came to be known as the Partition Resolution. That resolution provided for the establishment in Palestine of a “Jewish State” and an“Arab State”, with Jerusalem as a corpus separatum under a special international regime. Of the two States to be created under this resolution, only one, Israel, has so far come into being.

The Palestinian people, who now number more than eight million,live primarily in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since1967, including East Jerusalem; in Israel; in neighbouring Arab States;and in refugee camps in the region.

World AIDS Day - 1/12/2010

The General Assembly, in 1988, stated its deep concern about the pandemic proportions of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared 1 December 1988 World AIDS Day, the Assembly stressed the importance of observing that occasion (resolution 43/15). Today, some 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery - 2/12/2010

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of Others (resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949).

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3/12/2010

On 18 December 2007, the Assembly decided to rename the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed every year on 3 December, as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (resolution 62/127). It also called upon States that had no yet done so to consider signing and ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol as a matter of priority. The Convention was adopted on 13 December 2006.

The Assembly proclaimed the Day in 1992, at the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), by its resolution 47/3. The Decade had been a period of raising awareness and enacting measures to improve the situation of persons with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities. Subsequently, the Assembly appealed to Member States to highlight the observance of the Day in order to further integrate people with disabilities into the society (resolution 47/88).

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development - 5/12/2010

The General Assembly has invited Governments to observe the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development on 5 December each year ( resolution 40/212 of 17 December 1985). It urged them to heighten awareness of the contribution made by volunteer service, thereby stimulating people in all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers, both at home and abroad. In 2001, the International Year of Volunteers, the Assembly adopted a set of recommendations on ways that Governments and the United Nations system could support volunteering and asked that they be widely disseminated (resolution 56/38 of 5 December 2001).

International Civil Aviation Day - 7/12/2010

In 1996, the General Assembly proclaimed 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day, and urged Governments, as well as national, regional, international and intergovernmental organizations, to take steps to observe it (resolution 51/33 of 6 December). the Day had been declared in 1992 by the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations specialized agency, to highlight and advance the benefits of international civil aviation. Observation of the Day started on 7 December 1994 - the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which established ICAO.

International Anti-Corruption Day - 9/12/2010

International Anti-Corruption Day

On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention's Conference of States parties ( resolution 58/4 ). The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005.

Human Rights Day - 10/12/2010

All States and interested organizations were invited by the General Assembly in 1950 to observe 10 December as Human rights Day ( Resolution 423 (V) ). The Day marks the anniversary of the Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and is the most important commemorative day of the human rights calendar.

International Mountain Day - 11/12/2010

The UN General Assembly designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as 'International Mountain Day' ( Resolution 57/245 ). This decision results from the success of the UN International Year of Mountains in 2002, which increased global awareness of the importance of mountains, stimulated the establishment of national committees in 78 countries and strengthened alliances through promoting the creation of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions, known as the 'Mountain Partnership (WSSD, Johannesburg, 2 September 2002). FAO was the designated lead coordinating agency for International Year of Mountains and is mandated to lead observance of International Mountain Day.

International Migrants Day - 18/12/2010

As recommended by the UN's Economic and Social Council (decision 2000/288 of 28 july 2000), the General Assembly has proclaimed 18 December International Migrants Day ( resolution 55/93 of 4 December 2000). On that day in 1990, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was adopted (resolution 45/158). The Assembly has stressed the need to make further efforts to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants. It is estimated that one in every 35 persons in the world is a migrant, living and working in a country other than his or her own. All countries have migrants among their population.

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation - 19/12/2010

On 23 December 2004, the General Assembly declared 19 December of each year as the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation ( resolution 58/220 ). This marks the date, in 1978, when the General Assembly endorsed the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (resolution 33/134).

International Human Solidarity Day - 20/12/2010

In connection with its observance of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006), the General assembly, on 22 December 2005, decided to proclaim 20 December of each year as International Human Solidarity Day ( resolution 60/209 ). In taking that action, it recalled that the Millennium Declaration identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century.

Holocaust Remembrance Day - 27/01/2011

Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

It decided that the United Nations would designate 27 January -– the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp -- as an annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instil the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again, and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations," as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again." The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

Holocaust Remembrance Day - 27/01/2011

Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

It decided that the United Nations would designate 27 January -– the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp -- as an annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instil the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again, and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations," as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again." The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

World Day for Social Justice - 20/02/2011

At its sixty-second session, in November 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 20 February as World Day of Social Justice. The day is to be observed for the first time in 2009.

Member states were invited to devote this special day to the promotion of concrete national activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly, entitled “World Summit for Social Development and beyond: achieving social development for all in a globalizing world”.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - 21/03/2011

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142 (XXI)).

World Water Day - 22/03/2011

World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year's theme for World Water Day is "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

For more information please visit the official website or UNIC Canberra World Water Day page.

World Meteorological Day - 23/03/2011

Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System.

The Right to the Truth of Victims of Gross Human Rights Violations - 24/03/2011

On 21 December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 March as the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.

The purpose of the Day is to:

• Honour the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice;

• Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all;

• Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.

The UN General Assembly, in its resolution, invites all Member States, international organizations and civil society organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner.

Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - 25/03/2011

The event is held annually pursuant to General Assembly resolution A/RES/62/122 of 17 December 2007, which called, inter alia, for 25 March to be designated as International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The resolution requested the Secretary-General, in collaboration with UNESCO, to establish an educational outreach programme to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the “causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice”.

World Autism Awareness Day - 02/04/2011

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life. The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and it has a tremendous impact on children, their families, communities and societies.

Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with developmental disabilities. In 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities entered into force, reaffirming the fundamental principle of universal human rights for all.

The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day (A/RES/62/139) to highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - 04/04/2011

On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (A/RES/60/97).

It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.

Commemoration of the Rwanda genocide - 07/04/2011

On 7 April every year, the UN commemorates the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus are estimated to have been killed within a period of 100 days.

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare - 29/04/2011

The Conference of the States Parties at its Tenth Session (paragraph 23.3 of C-10/5, dated 11 November 2005) decided that a memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 29 April each year––the date in 1997 on which the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force.

This commemoration will provide an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of theOrganization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

World Press Freedom Day - 03/05/2011

World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on 3 May worldwide. It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. "21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers" is the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2011.

By decision 48/432 of 20 December 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day. Since then, it has been celebrated each year on 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek. The document calls for free, independent, pluralistic media worldwide characterizing free press as essential to democracy and a fundamental human right.

The Declaration of Windhoek is a statement of free press principles as put together by newspaper journalists in Africa during a UNESCO seminar on “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press” in Windhoek, Namibia, from 29 April to 3 May 1991.

International Day of Families - 15/05/2011

The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1993 (A/RES/47/237) and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

In its resolution, the General Assembly also noted that the family-related provisions of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits of the 1990s and their follow-up processes continue to provide policy guidance on ways to strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development.

The International Day of Families has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, that day provides an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families. Activities include workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes highlighting relevant themes.

The 2011's commemoration of the International Day of Families focuses on the "Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion."

World No Tobacco Day - 31/05/2011

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world every year on May 31. This yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

1961- International Health and Medical Research Year

1959/60 - World Refugee Year

World Information Society Day -17/05/2010

On 27 March 2006, the General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/60/252 proclaiming 17 May as annual World Information Society Day. This Day will help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information communications technologies (ICTs) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

International Day Of United Nations Peacekeepers - 29/05/2010

By resolution 57/129 of 11 December 2002, the General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression - 4/06/2010

On 19 August 1982, at its emergency special session on the question of Palestine, the General Assembly decided to commemorate 4 June of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (resolution ES-7/8).

World Environment Day - 5/06/2010

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

World Oceans Day - 8/06/2010

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as from 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day” (resolution 63/111, paragraph 171). Many countries have celebrated World Oceans Day following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio de Janerio in 1992.

The oceans are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power our climate and are a critical part of the biosphere. The official designation of World Oceans Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans.

The theme of the inaugural observance of the World Oceans Day by the United Nations in 2009 is “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”. The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, in cooperation with the Department of Public Information, is organizing a number of events and activities at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 June 2009. http://www.un.org/Depts/los/reference_files/worldoceansday.htm

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - 17/06/2010

The World Day to Combat Desertification, celebrated each year on June 17, is part of an international campaign by the United Nations to tackle global environmental deterioration, in particular the degradation of drylands. The day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

The General Assembly therefore decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day.

This year the UN refugee agency, in its 60th year, will mark World Refugee Day with a rich and varied programme of events in locations worldwide and the launch of a new global awareness campaign. UNHCR will start rolling out the multimedia "One" campaign next week. Over the next six months it will increase awareness about the forcibly displaced and stateless by telling their powerful personal stories. The campaign will carry the message that "One Refugee Without Hope is too Many." Every day, millions of refugees face murder, rape and terror. We believe even 1 is too many.

Where to find UNPAN?

The UNPAN system is centred at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and draws upon existing regional/subregional institutions devoted to public administration and finance in the context of social and economic development. So far, it is comprised of the following online regional centres (ORCs): eight in Africa and three in the Arab States, four in Asia and the Pacific, four in Latin America and the Caribbean, four in Europe, and six in North America.

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking - 26/06/2010

By resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. This resolution recommended further action with regard to the report and conclusions of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

International Day of the World's Indigenous People - 9/08/2010

By resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the General Assembly decided to celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. In 2004 the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade by resolution 59/174. The goal of this Decade is to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development.

International Youth Day - 12/08/2010

The General Assembly on 17 December 1999 in its resolution 54/120, endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day. The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).

World Humanitarian Day - 19/08/2010

In December 2008, the General Assembly voted to observe World Humanitarian Day each year on 19 August, dedicated to increasing public understanding of humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and to honour humanitarian workers who have lost their lives or been injured in the course of their work.

The date coincides with the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the United Nations Office in Iraq in 2003, in which 22 people died. Among them was Sergio Vieira de Mello, at that time the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq.

The General Assembly invites all countries, the UN system and international and non-governmental organizations to observe the day annually in an appropriate manner.

For 2009, the Day has three objectives:• To draw attention to humanitarian needs worldwide;• To acknowledge the ongoing work of humanitarian staff around the globe;• To honour those who have lost their lives in humanitarian service.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition - 23/08/2010

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others [Resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949]. The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition is celebrated every 23rd of August.

World Space Week - 4/09/2010

By resolution 54/68 of 6 December 1999, the General Assembly proclaimed World Space Week, to be observed between 4 and 10 October, to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition. The dates recall the launch, on 4 October 1957, of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, and the entry into force, on 10 October 1967, of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space.

International Day of Democracy - 15/09/2010

On 8 November 2007, by Resolution A/Res/62/7, the General Assembly proclaimed 15 September as the International Day of Democracy, inviting Member States, the United Nations system and other regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to commemorate the Day. The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Democracy is as much a process as a goal and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, the national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.

International Day For the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - 16/09/2010

On 19 December 1994, by A/RES/49/114, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date, in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. States are invited to devote the Day each year to promote, at the national level, activities in accordance with the objectives of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.

International Day of Peace - 21/09/2010

The International Day of Peace was first established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with its opening session every September. In 2001 resolution 55/282 was strengthened to fix the date annually on 21 September and for it to be a day of nonviolence and cease-fire. The resolution was adopted unanimously by the Member States of the General Assembly.

World Maritime Day - 24/09/2010

Every year IMO celebrates World Maritime Day. The exact date is left to individual Governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work.

64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly - 28/09/2010

The General Assembly of the United Nations opened its sixty-fourth session on 15 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The annual general debate, which traditionally features statements by Heads of State and Government as well as Ministers, began on Wednesday, 23 September 2009, and concludes on 30 September 2009.

Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

Secretary-General Message International Year of Older Persons - 1/10/2010

On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons.

This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing - which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing - and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.

In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.

In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

The theme of the year 2010's commemoration is "Older persons and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)". This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the UN International Day of Older Persons.

International Day of Non-Violence - 2/10/2010

Reaffirming the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence, and desiring to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence, the General Assembly has decided to observe 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. By its resolution 61/271 of 15 June 2007, the Assembly invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, regional and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate the Day in an appropriate manner and to disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness.

The resolution originated from a Declaration adopted at the “International Conference on Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment -- Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century”. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869.

World Habitat Day - 5/10/2010

By Resolution A/RES/40/202 the United Nations has designated the first Monday in October every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter for all. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

World Teachers Day - 5/10/2010

World Teachers' Day was inaugurated by UNESCO in 1994 to focus attention on the extraordinary contributions and achievements of teachers. The Day is celebrated internationally on October 5, the day in 1966 on which a joint UNESCO/ILO conference adopted a recommendation on the Status of Teachers.

World Post Day - 9/10/2010

World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across the world participate annually in the celebrations. The Posts in many countries use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services.

World Mental Health Day - 10/10/2010

World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October each year. It is an internationally recognised day to promote mental health and wellbeing around the world.

International Day For Natural Disaster Reduction - 14/10/2010

By resolution 44/236 (22 December 1989), the General Assembly designated the second Wednesday of October International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. The International Day was to be observed annually during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, 1990-1999. In 2001, the General Assembly decided to maintain the observance of the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on the second Wednesday of October (resolution 56/195 of 21 December), as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

International Day of Rural Women - 15/10/2010

The General Assembly has declared that 15 October of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as the International Day of Rural Women. By its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007, the Assembly urged Member States, in collaboration with the organizations of the United Nations and civil society, to undertake measures to improve the situation of rural women, including indigenous women, in their national, regional and global development strategies.

These measures include: creating an enabling environment to improve the situation of rural women; pursuing their political and socio-economic empowerment; supporting their full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels; integrating a gender perspective in the design, implementation, follow-up and evaluation of development policies and programmes; addressing their specific health needs; ensuring the rights of older women in rural areas to basic social services; mobilizing resources for increasing women’s access to existing savings and credit schemes; and integrating increased employment opportunities for rural women in all international and national development and poverty eradication strategies.

World Food Day - 16/10/2010

The aim of World Food Day, proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the FAO of the United Nations, is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. The Day marks the date of the founding of the FAO in 1945. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that “food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity” (resolution 35/70 of 5 December).

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17/10/2010

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries - a need that has become a development priority.

24-30 Oct Disarmament Week

The annual observance of Disarmament Week, which begins on the anniversary of the founding of the Untied Nations, was called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly 1978 special session on disarmament (resolution S-10/2). States were invited to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament.

In 1995, the Assembly invited Governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B of 12 December). It invited the Secretary-General to continue using the United Nations information entities as widely as possible to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament problems and the aims of the Week.

World Development Information Day - 24/10/2010

The United Nations General Assembly instituted World Development Information Day at its twenty-seventh session in December 1972 (A/Res/3038 XXVII) with the object of drawing the attention of world public opinion each year to development problems and the necessity of strengthening international co-operation to solve them. The General Assembly also decided that World Development Information Day should coincide, in principle, with United Nations Day to stress the central role of development in the work of the United Nations.

World Diabetes Day - 14/11/2010

Welcoming the fact that the International Diabetes Federation has been observing World Diabetes Day globally since 1991, with co-sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), the General Assembly, on 20 December 2006, designated 14 November, the current World Diabetes Day, as a United Nations Day, to be observed every year beginning in 2007 ( resolution 61/225 ).

Recognizing that diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease which poses serious challenges to development, the Assembly encouraged Member States to develop national policies for its prevention, treatment and care in line with the sustainable development of their health-care systems, taking account of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

The Assembly also invited all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Diabetes Day in an appropriate manner, including through education and the mass media.

United Nations Day - 24/10/2010

The anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter -- 24 October 1945 -- has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday (resolution 2782 (XXVI)).

Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict - 6/11/2010

On 5 November 2001, the General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict ( resolution 56/4 ). In taking this action, it considered that damage to the environment in times of armed conflict impairs ecosystems and natural resources long after the period of conflict, often extending beyond the limits of national territories and the present generation.

International Day for Tolerance - 16/11/2010

In 1996, the General Assembly invited Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public ( resolution 51/95 of 12 December). This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the Assembly in 1993 (resolution 48/126). The Year had been declared on the initiative of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); on 16 November 1995, the UNESCO member States had adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the Year.

World Philosophy Day - 18/11/2010

Celebrated at UNESCO’s initiative every third Thursday of November since 2002, World Philosophy Day will take place this year on 18 November 2010.

World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO to honour philosophical reflection in the entire world by opening up free and accessible spaces. Its objective is to encourage the peoples of the world to share their philosophical heritage and to open their minds to new ideas, as well as to inspire a public debate between intellectuals and civil society on the challenges confronting our society.

Universal Children's Day - 20/11/2010

The General Assembly recommended in 1954 (resolution 836 (IX)) that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and of activity promoting the welfare of the world's children. It suggested to Governments that the Day be observed on the date which each considers appropriate. The date of 20 November marks the day in which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rigths of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

In Australia, Universal Children's Day is celebrated every year on the 4th Wednesday in October.

Africa Industrialization Day - 20/11/2010

Within the framework of the Second Industrialization Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the General Assembly proclaimed 20 November as Africa Industrialization Day ( resolution 44/237 of 22 December 1989). The Day is intended to mobilize the commitment of the international community to the industrialization of Africa.